Delivery system for active components as part of an edible composition having preselected tensile strength

ABSTRACT

A delivery system for inclusion in an edible composition is formulated to have at least one active component encapsulated within an encapsulating material, whereby the delivery system has a tensile strength suitable for delivering the active component at a desired release rate.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to a delivery system foredible compositions in which a desired active component is encapsulatedin a manner such that the tensile strength of the delivery system iswithin a desirable range to provide controlled release of the activecomponent in a consistent manner over an extended period of time. Thedelivery system may, for example, provide consistent, extended andcontrolled delivery of a sweetener in a chewing gum composition orconfectionery composition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Encapsulating active components in edible compositions to prolong theirrelease and/or to slow their degradation is known. Encapsulatingmaterials used to coat such components include, for example, cellulose,cellulose derivatives, arabinogalactin, gum arabic, polyolefins, waxes,vinyl polymers, gelatin, zein and mixtures thereof. The encapsulatingmaterials have been used to protect active components such assweeteners, acids, flavorings, soluble dietary fibers, biologicallyactive agents such as pharmaceutical compounds or medicinal drugs,breath freshening agents, and the like.

Attempts have been made to encapsulate active components such assweeteners, particularly high intensity sweeteners to prevent againstpremature degradation, to enhance the uniformity of release, and toprolong release in a controlled manner. High intensity sweetenersgenerally have a sweetening intensity greater than sugar (sucrose) and acaloric value lower than that of sugar at equivalent sweetness levels.It is especially desirable to control the release of high intensitysweeteners in compositions since the high sweetness levels can easilyoverwhelm the consumer. Moreover, the controlled release of thesweetener provides desirable masking of unpleasant tasting materials.Because each high intensity sweetener is chemically and physicallydistinct, each is a challenge to use in an edible composition and eachexhibits one or more shortcomings, which may be moderated byencapsulation.

For example, many high intensity sweeteners lose their sweetnessintensity rapidly when used in edible compositions such as chewing gumsand confections. Encapsulation can modulate arid prolong release toprovide a more desirable taste profile. Some high intensity sweetenerssuch as saccharin, stevioside, acesulfame-K, glycyrrhizin, and thaumatinhave an associated bitter taste or off-note. Certain high intensitysweeteners are also unstable in the presence of certain chemicalsincluding aldehydes and ketones, and sensitive to exposure toenvironmental conditions including moisture. Solid sucralose is known toturn dark during prolong storage upon exposure to heat and ambient air.Encapsulation can be used to isolate unstable compounds to preventdegradation and prolong shelf life.

Typically, the taste profile of a high intensity sweetener can bedescribed as a rapid burst of sweetness. Usually, high intensitysweeteners reach their peak sweet taste rapidly, with the intensity ofsweet taste rapidly declining soon thereafter. The initial rapid burstcan be unpleasant to many consumers as the strong sweet taste tends tooverpower the other flavors that may be present in the ediblecomposition. The relatively rapid loss of sweetness can also result in abitter aftertaste. For this reason, it is typically desirable toencapsulate high intensity sweeteners with an encapsulating material inorder to modulate and prolong the release rate and to chemicallystabilize and enhance the overall taste profile. The selection of asuitable encapsulating material (i.e., polyvinyl acetate) has usuallybeen focused on the molecular weight of the encapsulating material withhigher molecular weights generally associated with longer release times.

By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,784 to Yang discloses a chewinggum composition containing a high molecular weight polyvinyl acetateblended with a hydrophobic plasticizer as an encapsulating material. Theencapsulating material is used to encapsulate an active ingredient suchas aspartame.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,265 to Cherukuri et al. discloses a sweetenerdelivery system, which uses a coating composed of an emulsifier and apolyvinyl acetate encapsulating material having a molecular weight offrom about 2,000 to 14,000, optionally in the presence of a wax. Thecoating is applied to sweeteners such as aspartame to effectuatesustained release of the sweetener.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,328 to Cherukuri et al. discloses a food aciddelivery system for use in for example, chewing gums, having a food acidthat is encapsulated in a matrix comprising an emulsifier and polyvinylacetate in a specified molecular weight range.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,763 to Chau et al. discloses a sweetening agentdelivery system having prolonged sweetener release. The system utilizesa high intensity sweetener encapsulated in polyvinyl acetate having amolecular weight in the range of from about 2,000 to 100,000. The systemfurther includes the use of a plasticizing agent, a waxy material and anemulsifying agent.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,002 to Duggan et al. discloses a process forpreparing sweeteners and acids as ingredients for chewing gumcompositions. In particular, the Duggan et al. reference disclosesencapsulating the sweetener or acid in a delivery system such aspolyvinyl acetate.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0122842 filed by Seiestad et al.discloses food mixtures including chewing gums containing at least twoacids encapsulated by a polyvinyl acetate matrix. The polyvinyl acetatehas a molecular weight in the range of from about 20,000 to 120,000.

The prior art systems identified above prepare encapsulating materialsby taking into account the selection of an encapsulating material (e.g.polyvinyl acetate) and its molecular weight.

Since polyvinyl acetate is the most common encapsulating material, themolecular weight of the material becomes a critical feature in themaking of prior art delivery systems. Thus, the state of the art forencapsulating active components especially high intensity sweetenersessentially associates controlled release of the active component withthe molecular weight of the encapsulating material. However, thisapproach is limited in that the predictable modification of thecontrolled release of the active agent is made only through themodification of the molecular weight of the encapsulating material.There is no predictable modification based on the use of otherencapsulating materials and/or additives that may be employed in thepreparation of suitable delivery systems.

Thus, there is no comprehensive approach to the production of adesirable delivery system that can provide a desirable release rate ofan active component without engaging in a significant amount of trialand error experimentation.

It would therefore be a significant advance in the art to provide aprocess of producing delivery systems for the desirable release of anactive component so that regardless of the type of the composition ofthe delivery system it will be suitable for the particular application(e.g., the controlled delivery of a high intensity sweetener).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a new approach to the controlled releaseof an active component in edible compositions such as, for example,chewing gum and confectionery compositions. The active component(s) andmaterials used to encapsulate the same provide a delivery system(s) thatenables exceptional control of the release of the active component overa wide range of delivery systems and takes into account the use of arange of encapsulating materials and additives that may be used toformulate the delivery system. The delivery system is formulated basedon tensile strength as the prime factor in formulating a delivery systemthat can deliver a designated active component at a desirable releaserate. The encapsulated active components are preserved until release isdesirable and therefore protected against moisture, reactive compounds,pH changes and the like. When the active component is a sweetener, thedelivery system is tailored to the sweetener to provide consistentsustained release, thus extending the time the sweetener is released toprovide an edible composition which provides a long lasting desirabletaste profile, increased salivation and overall enjoyment of the tasteimparted therefrom without the disadvantage of prior art systems inwhich the sweetener may be released at less or more than a desirablerate.

The present invention is premised chiefly on the discovery that thetensile strength of the delivery system is critical to obtaining adesired controlled, extended release of an active component. As aresult, a delivery system can be readily and easily formulated using abroad range of materials (e.g., encapsulating agents, active components,additives) with the desired characteristics to achieve a particulardesirable release rate. The active components and materials used toencapsulate the same provide a delivery system that provides exceptionalcontrol of the release of the active component.

It has been found in accordance with the present invention that adelivery system for active components can be provided based on thetensile strength of the delivery system having a specific tensilestrength when compared to a standard. This approach differs from thoseprior art systems that focus on one characteristic (molecular weight) ofone of the materials (encapsulating material) used to produce thedelivery system. In this manner, a delivery system is formulated toexpress a desired release profile by adjusting and modifying the tensilestrength through the specific selection of the active component, theencapsulating material, the additives, the amount of the activecomponent and the like which can be compared to at least one, typicallya plurality of standard delivery systems each having a known releaserate. Once a desired tensile strength is chosen, any delivery systemwhich has the desired tensile strength may be used without being limitedto a particular encapsulating material and its molecular weight. Theformulation process can be extended to encapsulating materials whichexhibit similar physical and chemical properties as the encapsulatingmaterial forming part of the standard delivery system.

As used herein, the term “tensile strength” means the maximum stress amaterial subjected to a stretching load can withstand without tearing. Astandard method for measuring tensile strength of a given substance isdefined by the American Society of Testing Materials in method numberASTM-D638.

In accordance with the present invention, the selection of a desiredtensile strength within a desirable range enables the production ofedible compositions using a range of materials including encapsulatingmaterials without having to focus on a particular encapsulating materialand without being limited to modifying the release rate solely throughthe selection of a molecular weight for the encapsulating material.

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a deliverysystem for inclusion in an edible composition such as a chewing gumcomposition or confectionery composition having at least one activecomponent encapsulated by an encapsulating material wherein the deliverysystem has a tensile strength of at least 6,500 psi, and typicallyranging from about 6,500 psi to 200,000 psi.

In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an ediblecomposition such as a chewing gum composition or a confectionerycomposition comprising at least one edible composition forming componentand a delivery system comprising at least one active componentencapsulated within an encapsulating material, the delivery systemhaving a tensile strength of at least 6,500 psi.

In a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a method ofpreparing a target delivery system for an edible composition comprisingcombining at least one active component, at least one encapsulatingmaterial, and optionally at least one additive until a preselectedtensile strength of the target delivery system is obtained based oncomparison with the tensile strength of at least one sample deliverysystem having the same or-similar active component and a known releaserate of the active component.

There is also provided a method of preparing a target delivery systemfor an edible composition useful for delivering at least one activecomponent at a desired release rate, said method comprising the step ofencapsulating the at least one active component in an encapsulatingmaterial in a manner that provides the target delivery system with atensile strength of at least 6,500 psi.

Still further there is provided a method of preparing a target deliverysystem for an edible composition useful for delivering at least oneactive component at a desired release rate, said method comprisingencapsulating the at least one active component in an encapsulatingmaterial in a manner that provides the target delivery system with atarget tensile strength associated with the desired release rate,enabling the delivery system to release the at least one activecomponent form the edible composition at the desired release rate.

In addition, there is provided a method of preparing an ediblecomposition containing a target delivery system useful for delivering atleast one active component at a desired release rate, said methodcomprising encapsulating the at least one active component in anencapsulating material in a manner that provides the target deliverysystem with a target tensile strength associated with the desiredrelease rate enabling the delivery system to release the at least oneactive component from the edible composition at desired release rate,and adding the target delivery system to the edible composition.

There is also provided edible compositions containing the presentdelivery system. Although the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention relates to chewing gum compositions, confectionerycompositions and beverages, the present invention can be utilized toproduce a variety of edible compositions including, but not limited to,food products, foodstuffs, nutrient-containing compositions,pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, vitamins and other products that may beprepared for consumption by the consumer. Because the delivery systemmay be readily incorporated into an edible composition, the ediblecompositions which may benefit from and are encompassed by the presentinvention are wide ranging as indicated above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the presentinvention and are not intended to limit the invention as encompassed bythe claims forming part of the application.

FIG. 1 is a graph comparing perceived sweetness intensity of threesamples of gum over a 30 minute period in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a graph comparing perceived sweetness intensity of two samplesof gum each containing different tensile strength delivery systems overa 30 minute period in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a graph comparing the percentage of aspartame retained over aperiod of time for two samples of gum containing different tensilestrength delivery systems in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a graph comparing perceived bitterness intensity of two gumsamples each containing different tensile strength delivery systems inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The term “delivery system” as used herein is meant to encompass theencapsulating material and a single active component encapsulatedtherein as well as other additives used to form the delivery system ashereinafter described. It will be understood that the ediblecompositions of the present invention may contain a plurality ofdelivery systems with each delivery system containing a single activecomponent.

The term “encapsulating material” is meant to encompass any one or moreedible water insoluble materials capable of forming a solid coating orfilm as a protective barrier around the active component.

The present invention is directed generally to a delivery system asdefined herein for use in edible compositions, which comprises anencapsulating material and an active component encapsulated by theencapsulating material. The delivery system of the present invention isformulated with a predetermined tensile strength sufficient to provideconsistent controlled release of the active component over a preselectedperiod of time such as an extended period of time typically up to about25 to 30 minutes or more. The predetermined tensile strength isdetermined based, in part, on the active component and the desiredrelease time of the same. The predetermined tensile strength may beselected from a standard comprised of one or more delivery systems witheach standard delivery system having a known release rate of the desiredactive component. The delivery system of the present invention furtherprovides the active component with a protective barrier against moistureand other conditions such as pH changes, reactive compounds and thelike, the presence of which can undesirably degrade the activecomponent.

The delivery system facilitates the controlled release of the activecomponent in a wide variety of edible compositions including chewing gumcompositions, food products, confectionery compositions, pharmaceuticalcompositions, beverages, foodstuffs, nutrient-containing compositions,vitamins, nutraceuticals and the like.

The delivery system is developed in accordance with the presentinvention to have a desirable tensile strength which may be selected,depending in part on the active component and the release rate of theactive component desired, from a standard of known delivery systemscontaining the active component at known release rates. The activecomponents which may be incorporated as part of the delivery system maybe selected from sweeteners including high intensity sweeteners, acids,flavorants, pharmaceuticals, therapeutic agents, vitamins, breathfresheners, cooling agents and other materials that would benefit bycoating for protection, controlled release and/or for taste masking. Theactive components include nicotine useful for the treatment of addictionto tobacco products and caffeine typically found in coffee and/or colabeverages. In a particularly preferred form of the present invention,the active component is a sweetener, and more preferably a highintensity sweetener such as neotame and aspartame.

It has been found in accordance with the present invention that adelivery system for delivering an active component can be formulated toensure an effective sustained release of the active component based onthe type and amount of the active component and desired release rate.For example, it may be desirable to effect the controlled release of ahigh intensity sweetener over a period of 25 to 30 minutes to ensureagainst a rapid burst of sweetness which may be offensive to someconsumers. A shorter controlled release time may be desirable for othertype of active components such as pharmaceuticals or therapeutic agents,which may be incorporated into the same edible composition by usingseparate delivery systems for each active component. In accordance withthe present invention, delivery systems may be formulated with aparticular tensile strength associated with a range of release ratesbased on a standard. The standard may comprise a series of knowndelivery systems having tensile strengths over a range extending, forexample, from low to high tensile strength values. Each of the deliverysystems of the standard will be associated with a particular releaserate or ranges of release rates. Thus, for example, a delivery systemcan be formulated with a relatively slow release rate by a fabricating adelivering system having a relatively high tensile strength. Conversely,lower tensile strength compositions tend to exhibit relatively fastrelease rates. An important factor of the present invention is that thetensile strength of the delivery system is directly associated with therelease rate of the active component without direct regard for the typeor molecular weight of the encapsulating material.

The present invention includes the incorporation of a plurality ofdelivery systems to deliver a plurality of separate active componentsincluding active components which may be desirably released atdistinctly different release rates.

For example, high intensity sweeteners may desirably be released over anextended period of time (e.g. 20 to 30 minutes) while somepharmaceuticals are desirably released over a significantly shorterperiod of time.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided amethod of selecting a target delivery system containing an activecomponent for an edible composition. The method generally includespreparing a targeted delivery system containing an active component, anencapsulating material and optional additives, with the targeteddelivery system having a pre-selected tensile strength. The tensilestrength of the targeted delivery system is pre-selected to provide adesirable release rate of the active component. This selection of thetensile strength is based on the tensile strengths of sample deliverysystems having the same or similar active component and known releaserates of the active component. In a more preferred embodiment, themethod comprises the steps of (a) obtaining a plurality of sampledelivery systems comprising an active component, at least oneencapsulating material, and optional additives, wherein each of thedelivery systems has a different tensile strength; (b) testing thesample delivery systems to determine the respective release rates of theactive component; and (c) formulating a target delivery systemcontaining the same active component with a tensile strengthcorresponding to a desired release rate of the active component based onthe obtained sample delivery systems.

It will be understood that a plurality of delivery systems may beprepared in this manner each containing a different active component byutilizing a comparison with standard delivery systems containing suchdifferent active components.

The method of selecting at least one delivery system suitable forincorporation into an edible composition preferably begins bydetermining a desired release rate for an active component (i.e. a firstactive component). The determination of the desired release rate may befrom known literature or technical references or by in vitro or in vivotesting. Once the desired release rate is determined, it is typical todetermine the desired tensile strength (i.e. first tensile strength) fora delivery system (i.e. first delivery system) that can release thefirst active component at the desired release. Once the delivery systemis obtained which can deliver the active component as required it isthen selected for eventual inclusion in an edible composition.

The method described above may then be repeated for a second activecomponent and for additional active components as described via thedetermination and selection of a suitable delivery system.

The present method can be used in connection with formulating the targetdelivery system using encapsulating materials having similar physicaland chemical properties including the degree of water solubility,affinity for the active component, and the like as those used in thesample delivery systems.

Applicants have discovered that by maintaining the tensile strength ofthe delivery system within a preselected desirable range, the activecomponent is released from the composition in a highly controlled andconsistent manner irrespective of the particular type of encapsulatingmaterials employed. By focusing on the tensile strength of the deliverysystem, the process for selecting and formulating suitable deliverysystems is enhanced in a manner which effectively reduces the need fortrial and error experimentation typically necessary in prior artsystems. The present invention, for example, enables the formulation ofa suitable target delivery system by focusing on a single variable(i.e., tensile strength) and therefore takes into account all componentsof the delivery system including encapsulating materials and anyadditives (e.g., fats and oils) that may be desirably added to theformulation and enables the delivery system when added to an ediblecomposition to release the active component at a desirable release rate.

The desired tensile strength of the delivery system can be readilydetermined within a desired range. Tensile strengths of at least 6,500psi are typical, with most applications operating within a desirabletensile strength range of 6,500 to 200,000 psi. The formulation of adelivery system with a desirable tensile strength can be made from avariety of encapsulating materials and additives which hereinafter arereferred to as “tensile strength modifying agents or modifiers.” Theseadditives may be used to formulate the delivery system by modifying thetensile strength of the delivery system, including tensilestrength-lowering materials such as fats, emulsifiers, plasticizers(softeners), waxes, low molecular weight polymers, and the like, inaddition to tensile strength increasing materials such as high molecularweight polymers. In addition, the tensile strength of the deliverysystem can also be fine tuned by combining different tensile strengthmodifiers to form the delivery system. For example, the tensile strengthof high molecular weight polymers such as polyvinyl acetate may bereduced when tensile strength lowering agents such as fats and/or oilsare added.

Examples of tensile strength modifiers or modifying agents include, butare not limited to, fats (e.g., hydrogenated or non-hydrogenatedvegetable oils, animal fats), waxes (e.g., microcrystalline wax, beeswax), plasticizers/emulsifiers (e.g., mineral oil, fatty acids, mono-and diglycerides, triacetin, glycerin, acetylated monoglycerides,glycerol rosin monostearate esters), low and high molecular weightpolymers (e.g., polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol,polyisobutylene, polyethylene, polyvinylacetate) and the like, andcombinations thereof. Plasticizers may also be referred to as softeners.

Thus, by employing tensile strength modifiers, the overall tensilestrength of the delivery system can be adjusted or altered in such a waythat a preselected tensile strength is obtained for the correspondingdesired release rate of the active component from an edible compositionbased on a comparison with a standard.

The delivery system of the present invention is typically in the form ofa powder or granules. The particle size is not critical to the functionof the present invention however the particle size is desirably selectedaccording to the desired rate of release and/or mouthfeel (i.e.,grittiness) and the type of carrier incorporated in the ediblecomposition. For chewing gum compositions, the particle size ispreferably less than 600 microns.

Except as otherwise noted, the amount of the ingredients incorporatedinto the compositions according to the present invention is designatedas % by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

The delivery systems of the present invention produce controlled releaseof the active components as desired through the use of a preselectedtensile strength when matched with a desirable release rate selectedaccording to the type of the active components to be encapsulated, theencapsulating material used, the additives incorporated, the desiredrate of release of the active component, and the like. The materialsused to encapsulate the active component are generally selected fromedible water insoluble materials capable of forming a strong matrix,solid coating or film as a protective barrier around the activecomponent. The encapsulating material is chosen in a manner consistentwith the tensile strength of the delivery system which will typically beat least 6,500 psi, more typically in the range of from about 6,500 to200,000 psi. Such encapsulating materials may be selected from polyvinylacetate, polyethylene, crosslinked polyvinyl pyrrolidone,polymethylmethacrylate, polylactidacid, polyhydroxyalkanoates,ethylcellulose, polyvinyl acetatephthalate, polyethylene glycol esters,methacrylicacid-co-methylmethacrylate, and the like, and combinationsthereof.

The encapsulating material may be present in amounts of from about 0.2%to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the edible composition,preferably 1 % to 5% by weight. The amount of the encapsulating materialwill, of course, depend in part on the amount of the active componentwhich must be encapsulated. The amount of the encapsulating materialwith respect to the weight of the delivery system, is from about 30% to99%, preferably from about 60% to 90% by weight.

The tensile strength of the delivery system may be selected fromrelatively high tensile strengths when a relatively slow rate of releaseis desired and relatively lower tensile strengths when a faster rate ofrelease is desired. Thus, when employing a tensile strength of 50,000for a delivery system, the release rate of the active component, willgenerally be lower than the release rate of the active component in adelivery system having a tensile strength of 10,000 psi regardless ofthe type of encapsulating material (e.g. polyvinyl acetate) chosen.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the encapsulatingmaterial is polyvinyl acetate. A representative example of a polyvinylacetate product suitable for use as an encapsulating material in thepresent invention is Vinnapas® B100 sold by Wacker Polymer Systems ofAdrian, Mich. A delivery system utilizing polyvinyl acetate may beprepared by melting a sufficient amount of polyvinyl acetate at atemperature of about 65° to 120° C. for a short period of time, e.g., 5minutes. The melt temperature will depend on the type and tensilestrength of the polyvinyl acetate encapsulating material where highertensile strength materials will generally melt at higher temperatures.Once the encapsulating material is melted, a suitable amount of theactive component (e.g., high intensity sweetener such as aspartame) isadded and blended into the molten mass thoroughly for an additionalshort period of mixing. The resulting mixture is a semi-solid mass,which is then cooled (e.g., at 0° C.) to obtain a solid, and then groundto a U.S. Standard sieve size of from about 30 to 200 (600 to 75microns). The tensile strength of the resulting delivery system canreadily be tested according to ASTM-D638.

The selection of a suitable encapsulating material will also depend inpart on the type and amount of the active component and the presence ofother additives or ingredients. Plasticizers or softeners as well asfats and oils, for example, act as “tensile strength modifying agents”and may be incorporated into the delivery system and particularly intothe encapsulating material to modify the tensile strength of theresulting delivery system. The above mentioned additives may be added tothe encapsulating material during the molten state. The amount ofadditives used in the delivery system of the present invention will ofcourse vary according to the desired tensile strength but will typicallyrange up to 40% by weight based on the total weight of the deliverysystem.

The presence of fats and oils as an additive has been found to have twoeffects on the delivery system. The first effect is observed at lowerconcentrations, i.e. up to 5% by weight, wherein the fats and/or oilseither maintain or increase the tensile strength of the delivery system.At higher concentrations (i.e., typically above 5% by weight), the fatsand/or oils tend to reduce the tensile strength of the delivery system.Even with such unusual or non-linear effects on the tensile strength ofthe delivery system, a suitable delivery system with the desired releaseof the active component may be readily formulated in accordance with thepresent invention because the targeted delivery system is prepared basedon sample delivery systems having known release rates for the activecomponent.

Although the present description made herein relates to sweeteners, itwill be understood that the effect of tensile strength on the deliverysystem will be similar regardless of the active component.

The sweeteners may be selected from solid natural or syntheticsweeteners capable of imparting high intensity sweetness. A non-limitinglist of these sweeteners include amino acid-based sweeteners, dipeptidesweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts,cyclamates, steviosides, talin, dihydrochalcone compounds, chlorinatedsucrose polymers such as sucralose and combinations thereof. Includedamong the high intensity sweeteners are aspartame and neotame.

The active component (e.g., sweetener), which is part of the deliverysystem, may be used in amounts necessary to impart the desired effectassociated with use of the active component (e.g., sweetness). Withrespect to their presence in the delivery system, the active componentsmay be present in amounts of from about 1% to 70% by weight based on thetotal weight of the delivery system, preferably from about 10% to 40% byweight based on the total weight of the delivery system. For typicaledible compositions including chewing gum compositions, confectionerycompositions and beverage compositions, the sweeteners may be present inamounts of from about 0.1% to 6% by weight based on the total weight ofthe edible composition, and more preferably 0.5% to 3% by weight. Theactive component especially when the active component is a sweetener mayalso be present in the edible composition in free form depending on therelease profile desired.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided ediblecompositions which comprise the present delivery system and a carrier inan amount appropriate to accommodate the delivery system. The term“carrier” as used herein refers to an orally acceptable vehicle such asthe soluble and insoluble components of a chewing gum compositioncapable of being mixed with the delivery system, and which will notcause harm to warm-blooded animals including humans. The carriersfurther include those components of the composition that are capable ofbeing commingled without significant interaction with the deliverysystem.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ediblecomposition is a chewing gum composition having prolonged release (e.g.,typically at least 15 minutes) of the active component. The chewing gumcomposition comprises a chewing gum base and the delivery system of thepresent invention that comprises an encapsulating material and at leastone encapsulated active component such as, for example, a sweetener or aflavorant. The delivery system is present in amounts from about 0.2% to10% by weight based on the total weight of the chewing gum composition,preferably from about 1% to 5% by weight.

The present invention may be incorporated with a variety of processesfor preparing chewing gum compositions as known in the art. Such chewinggum compositions may be and include a variety of different formulationsthat are typically used to make chewing gum products. Typically, achewing gum composition contains a chewable gum base portion, which isessentially free of water and is water insoluble and a water solublebulk portion.

The water soluble portion is generally released from the gum baseportion over a period of time during chewing. The gum base portion isretained in the mouth throughout the chewing. The water insoluble gumbase generally comprises elastomers, elastomer solvents, plasticizers,waxes, emulsifiers, and inorganic fillers. Plastic polymers such aspolyvinyl acetate, which behave somewhat as plasticizers, are alsoincluded. Other plastic polymers that may be used include polyvinyllaurate, crosslinked polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyhydroxy alkanoates.

The elastomers may constitute from about 5% to 95% by weight of the gumbase, preferably 10% to 70% by weight and more preferably 15% to 45% byweight. Examples of elastomers include synthetic elastomers such aspolyisobutylene, polybutylene, isobutylene-isoprene co-polymers,styrene-butadiene co-polymers, polyvinyl acetate and the like.Elastomers may also include natural elastomers such as natural rubber aswell as natural gums such as jelutong, lechi caspi, perillo,massaranduba balata, chicle, gutta hang kang or combinations thereof.Other elastomers are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Elastomer plasticizers modify the finished gum firmness when used in thegum base. Elastomer plasticizers are typically present in an amount upto 75% by weight of the gum base, preferably from about 5% to 45% byweight and more preferably from about 10% to 30% by weight. Examples ofelastomer plasticizers include natural rosin esters such as glycerolester of partially hydrogenated rosin, glycerol ester of tall oil rosin,pentaerythritol esters of partially hydrogenated rosin, methyl andpartially hydrogenated methyl esters of rosin, and the like. Syntheticelastomer plasticizers such as terpene resins may also be employed ingum base composition.

Waxes include synthetic and naturally occurring waxes such aspolyethylene, bees wax, carnauba and the like. Petroleum waxes such aparaffin may also be used. The waxes may be present in the amount up to30% by weight of the gum base. Waxes aid in the curing of the finishedgum and help improve the release of flavor and may further extend theshelf life of the product.

Elastomer solvents are often resins such as terpene resins.Plasticizers, sometimes referred to as softeners, are typically fats andoils, including tallow, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and cocoa butter.

Gum base typically also includes a filler component. The fillercomponent modifies the texture of the gum base and aid processing.Examples of such fillers include magnesium and aluminum silicates, clay,alumina, talc, titanium oxide, cellulose polymers, and the like. Fillersare typically present in the amount of from 1% to 60% by weight.

Emulsifiers, which sometimes also have plasticizing properties, includeglycerol monostearate, lecithin, and glycerol triacetate. Further, gumbases may also contain optional ingredients such as antioxidants,colors, and flavors.

The insoluble gum base may be present in the amount of from about 5% to95% by weight of the chewing gum. Typically, the insoluble gum base maypresent in the amount of from about 10% to 50% by weight of the gumbase, preferably from about 20% to 40% by weight of the gum base.

Softeners are added to the chewing gum in order to optimize thechewability and mouth feel of the gum. Softeners, also known in the artas plasticizers or plasticizing agents, is generally present in amountsfrom about 0.5% to 15% by weight based on the total weight of thechewing gum composition. Softeners contemplated by the present inventioninclude, for example, lecithin. Further, aqueous sweetener solutionssuch as those containing sorbitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, cornsyrup, and combinations thereof may be used as softeners and bindingagents in the gum.

The chewing gum compositions of the present invention may be coated oruncoated and be in the form or slabs, sticks, pellets, balls and thelike. The composition of the different forms of the chewing gumcompositions will be similar but may vary with regard to the ratio ofthe ingredients. For example, coated gum compositions may contain alower percentage of softeners. Pellets and balls have a small chewinggum core, which is then coated with either a sugar solution or asugarless solution to create a hard shell. Slabs and sticks are usuallyformulated to be softer in texture than the chewing gum core.

In accordance with one aspect of the chewing gum composition of thepresent invention, the delivery system is added during the manufactureof the chewing gum composition. In another aspect of the presentinvention, the delivery system is added as one of the last steps,preferably the last step in the formation of the chewing gumcomposition. Applicants have determined that this process modificationincorporates the delivery system into the gum composition withoutmaterially binding the delivery system therein such as may occur if thedelivery system is mixed directly with the gum base. Thus, the deliverysystem, while only loosely contained within the gum composition can moreeffectively release the active component therefrom during a typicalchewing operation. Thus, a material portion of the delivery system isfree of the gum base and the corresponding ingredients of the chewinggum.

Coating techniques for applying a coating for a chewing gum compositionsuch as pan and spray coating are well known. Preferred in the practiceof the present invention is coating with solutions adapted to build ahard candy layer. Both sugar and sugar alcohols may be used for thispurpose together with high intensity sweeteners, colorants, flavorantsand binders.

Other components may be added in minor amounts to the coating syrup andinclude moisture absorbing compounds, anti-adherent compounds,dispersing agents and film forming agents. The moisture absorbingcompounds suitable for use in the coating syrups include mannitol ordicalcium phosphate. Examples of useful anti-adherent compounds, whichmay also function as a filler, include talc, magnesium trisilicate andcalcium carbonate. These ingredients may be employed in amounts of fromabout 0.5% to 5% by weight of the syrup. Examples of dispersing agents,which may be employed in the coating syrup, include titanium dioxide,talc or other anti-adherent compounds as set forth above.

The coating syrup is usually heated and a portion thereof deposited onthe cores. Usually a single deposition of the coating syrup is notsufficient to provide the desired amount or thickness of coating and itusually will be necessary to apply second, third or more coats of thecoating syrup in order to build up the weight and thickness of thecoating to desired levels with layers allowed to dry in-between coats.

A method of preparing the chewing gum composition of the presentinvention is provided by sequentially adding the various chewing gumingredients including the delivery system of the present invention toany commercially available mixer known in the art. After the ingredientshave been thoroughly mixed, the gum base is discharged from the mixerand shaped into the desired form such as by rolling into sheets andcutting into sticks, extruding into chunks, or casing into pellets.

Generally, the ingredients are mixed by first melting the gum base andadding it to the running mixer. The base may also be melted into themixer itself. Colors or emulsifiers may also be added at this time. Asoftener may be added to the mixer at this time, along with syrup and aportion of the bulking agent. Further parts of the bulking agent arethen added to the mixer. Flavorants are typically added with the finalportion of the bulking agent. Finally, the delivery system exhibiting apredetermeined tensile strength is added to the resulting mixture. Otheroptional ingredients are added in the batch in a typical fashion, wellknown to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The entire mixing procedure typically takes from five to fifteenminutes, but longer mixing times may be required. Those skilled in theart will recognize that many variations of the above-described proceduremay be follows.

After the ingredients are mixed, the gum mass may be formed into avariety of shapes and products. For example, the ingredients may beformed into pellets or balls and used as cores to make a coated chewinggum product. However, any type of chewing gum product can be utilizedwith the present invention.

If a coated product is desired, the coating may contain ingredients suchas flavorants, artificial sweeteners, dispersing agents, coloringagents, film formers and binding agents. Flavorants contemplated by thepresent invention, include those commonly known in the art such asessential oils, synthetic flavors, or mixtures thereof, including butare not limited to, oils derived from plants and fruits such as citrusoils, fruit essences, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, other mint oils,clove oil, oil of wintergreen, anise and the like. The flavorants mayalso be added to the coating syrup in an amount such that the coatingmay be present in amounts of from about 0.2% to 1.2% by weight flavoringagent, and more preferably from about 0.7% to 1.0% by weight flavoringagent.

Dispersing agents are often added to syrup coatings for the purpose ofwhitening and tack reduction. Dispersing agents contemplated by thepresent invention to be employed in the coating syrup include titaniumdioxide, talc, or any other anti-stick compound. The dispersing agentmay be added to the coating syrup in an amount such that the coatingcontains from about 0.1% to 1.0%, and more preferably from about 0.3% to0.6% by weight of the agent.

Coloring agents may be added directly to the coating syrup in dye orlake form. Coloring agents contemplated by the present invention includefood quality dyes. Film formers may be added to the coating syrupinclude methylcellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose,hydroxyethyl cellulose, and the like or combinations thereof. Bindingagents may be added either as an initial coating on the chewing gumcenter or may be added directly to the coating syrup. Binding agentscontemplated by the present invention include gum arabic, gum talha,gelatin, vegetable gums, and the like. The binding agents, when added tothe coating syrup, are typically added in amounts from about 0.5% to 10%by weight.

The present invention further encompasses confectionery compositionscontaining the delivery system of the present invention. Confectionerycompositions include, for example, compressed tablets such as mints,hard boiled candies, chocolates, chocolate containing products, nutrientbars, nougats, gels, centerfill confections, fondants, panning goods,consumable thin films and other compositions falling within thegenerally accepted definition of confectionery compositions.

Confectionery compositions in the form of pressed tablets such as mintsmay generally be made by combining finely sifted sugar or sugarsubstitute, flavoring agent (e.g. peppermint flavor) bulking agent suchas gum arabic, and an optional coloring agent. The flavoring agent,bulking agent are combined and then gradually the sugar or sugarsubstitute are added along with a coloring agent if needed.

The product is then granulated by passing through a seize of desiredmesh size (e.g. 12 mesh) and then dried typically at temperatures offrom about 55° C. to 60° C. The resulting powder is fed into a tabletingmachine fitted with a large size punch and the resulting pellets arebroken into granules and then pressed.

High boiled candies typically contain sugar or sugar substitute,glucose, water, flavoring agent and optional coloring agent. The sugaris dissolved in the water and glucose is then added. The mixture isbrought to a boil. The resulting liquid to which may previously havebeen added a coloring agent is poured onto an oiled slab and cooled. Theflavoring agent are then added and kneaded into the cooled mass. Theresulting mixture is then fed to a drop roller assembly known in the artto form the final hard candy shape.

A nougat composition typically includes two principal components, a highboiled candy and a frappe. By way of example, egg albumen or substitutethereof is combined with water and whisked to form a light foam. Sugarand glucose are added to water and boiled typically at temperatures offrom about 130° C. to 140° C. and the resulting boiled product is pouredinto a mixing machine and beat until creamy.

The beaten albumen and flavoring agent are combined with the creamyproduct and the combination is thereafter thoroughly mixed.

Further details regarding the preparation of confectionery compositionscan be found in Skuse's Complete Confectioner (13^(th) Edition) (1957)including pp. 41-71, 133-144, and 255-262; and Sugar ConfectioneryManufacture (2^(nd) Edition) (1995), E. B. Jackson, Editor, pp.129-168,169-188, 189-216, 218-234, and 236-258 each of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

The forgoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplaryembodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art willreadily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanyingclaims, that various changes, modifications, and variations can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the following claims.

EXAMPLE 1

The following study shows the effect of the presence of oil or fats onthe overall tensile strength of one embodiment of the delivery system ofthe present invention. The rate of release of the active component(i.e., aspartame) is affected by the variation in tensile strength suchthat the release rate of the higher tensile strength delivery system isgenerally slower than the release rate of lower tensile strengthformulations. When relatively large amounts of oil or fat are used, thetensile strength of the delivery system is generally lowered whichincreases the release rate of the active component. Conversely, reducedamounts of fats or oils are employed typically for higher tensilestrength delivery systems exhibiting lower release rates.

Experimental Procedure

Preparation of the Delivery Systems

Four delivery systems for delivering a high intensity sweetener (i.e.,aspartame) containing varying amounts of polyvinyl acetate, and oils orfat were prepared in accordance with the formulations shown in Table 1.TABLE 1 Delivery Delivery Delivery Delivery System 1 System 2 System 3System 4 Ingredient (20% Fat) (10% Fat) (0% Fat) (5% Fat) Polyvinylacetate B100 50%  60% 70% 65 Hydrogenated Oil 15% 7.5%  0% 3.5 GlycerolMonostearate  5% 2.5%  0% 1.5 Aspartame 30%  30% 30% 30% TensileStrength (psi) 10,829 24,833 22,761 42,900

Polyvinyl acetate was melted at a temperature of about 110° C. in acontinuous extruder. The hydrogenated oil and glycerol monostearate(fat) were added to the molten polyvinyl acetate. Aspartame was thenadded to the resulting mixture and mixed under high shear to completelydisperse the ingredients. The resulting extrudate was cooled and thensized to a particle size of less than 420 microns to produce thecorresponding delivery system containing the encapsulated high intensitysweetener aspartame as the active component. The tensile strength ofeach of the final delivery systems was measured in accordance with ASTMStandard D638-02a and is shown in Table 1.

As indicated in Table 1, the addition of fats and oils exhibits twoeffects on the tensile strength of the delivery system when a portion ofthe encapsulating material (polyvinyl acetate) is replaced by the fatsand oils. As shown by a comparison of delivery system no. 3 to deliverysystem no. 4, there is a sharp increase in tensile strength when 5% byweight of polyvinyl acetate is replaced by a corresponding amounts offats and oils. When the replacement is 10% by weight the tensilestrength drops significantly but remains above the level of the fat andoil free delivery system (delivery system no. 1). When fats and oils areused in relatively large amounts (i.e., 20% by weight), the deliverysystem tends to exhibit a much lower tensile strength as compared todelivery system no. 3.

Preparation of the Chewing Gums

Three sample chewing gum compositions were prepared using theingredients listed in Table 2 and incorporating delivery system nos. 1through 3 as shown in Table 1. TABLE 2 Chewing Ingredient Chewing Gum 1Chewing Gum 2 Gum 3 Gum base 39.0 39.0 39.0 Sorbitol 42.8 42.8 42.8Mannitol 9.0 9.0 9.0 Flavor 4.67 4.67 4.67 Glycerin 1.5 1.5 1.5 Lecithin0.2 0.2 0.2 Delivery System 1 2.83 — — Delivery System 2 — 2.83 —Delivery System 3 — — 2.83

The chewing gum composition was prepared as follows. The gum base wasmelted at a suitable temperature in a mixer. The remaining ingredientswere then added to the melted gum base and mixed until the ingredientswere completely dispersed. The resulting chewing gum composition wassized and conditioned for about 1 week and evaluated using a pool ofhuman subjects. Each of the human subjects were asked to sample thechewing gum compositions by chewing each of the samples listed in Table2 and rating the sweetness intensity of each sample at 10 minuteintervals over a 30 minute time period. The resulting data is shown inFIG. 1.

Results

As shown in FIG. 1, Gum 3 prepared with fat and oil free delivery systemno. 3 provided extended sweetener release with higher sweetenerintensity measured at each of the intervals as compared to Gums 1 and 2each of which contained a delivery system with some level of oil andfat. Gum 1 prepared from delivery system no. 1, which exhibited thelowest tensile strength due in part to its higher oil and fat content,had a relatively short duration of sweetener release and exhibited thelowest sweetener intensity subsequent to the initial release as measuredat each of the 10 minute intervals.

It will be understood that each of the chewing gum compositions preparedin accordance with Example 1 could readily be modified to include one ormore additional delivery systems each containing a different activecomponent.

EXAMPLE 2

The following study examined the relationship between tensile strengthof the delivery system and the release rate of the encapsulated activecomponent. The presence of fats or oils were varied to modify thetensile strength of the delivery system, thereby allowing the releaserate of the encapsulated active component to be adjusted as desired.

Experimental Procedure

Preparation of the Delivery Systems

Four delivery systems were prepared using the ingredients listed inTable 3. TABLE 3 Delivery Delivery Delivery Delivery Ingredient System 5System 4 System 6 System 7 Polyvinyl acetate (High  65%  65% TensileStrength) Polyvinyl acetate (Low 63% 63% Tensile Strength) HydrogenatedOil 15% 3.5% 15% 3.5% Glycerol Monostearate  5% 1.5%  5% 1.5% Aspartame17%  30% Acesulfame-K 17%  30% Tensile Strength (psi) 6,500 42,900 * ***not measured but believed to be similar to delivery system no. 5**not measured but believed to be similar to delivery system no. 4

The above delivery systems (i.e., delivery system nos. 4 to 7) wereprepared in the following manner. The polyvinyl acetate encapsulatingmaterials were melted at a temperature of about 110° C. in a continuousextruder. Hydrogenated oil and glycerol monostearate were added to themolten encapsulating materials. The sweetener was then added to theresulting mixture. The mixture was thoroughly mixed under high shear tocompletely disperse the ingredients to yield an extrudate. The mixedextrudate was thereafter allowed to cool and comminuted to yieldparticles of the respective delivery systems having a particle size ofabout less than 600 microns. The delivery systems were each formulatedto exhibit a specific tensile strength, in part based on the amount andstrength of the polyvinyl acetate and the amount of the fats and oilsand other components. The tensile strength of each of delivery systemnos. 4 through 7 is listed in Table 3.

Preparation of Chewing Gum Samples

Two test samples of chewing gum compositions referred to herein as Gums4 and 5 were prepared and formulated with the ingredients listed inTable 4 below. Gum 4 was formulated with a combination of deliverysystem nos. 5 and 6 shown in Table 3 in the specified amounts to yield achewing gum having a relatively low tensile strength delivery system.Gum 5 was formulated with a combination of delivery system nos. 4 and 7in the specified amounts to yield a chewing gum having a relatively hightensile strength delivery system. TABLE 4 Ingredient Chewing Gum 4Chewing Gum 5 Gum base 39.0% 39.0% Sorbitol 42.5% 44.3% Mannitol  9.0% 9.0% Flavor 3.67% 3.67% Glycerin  1.5%  1.5% Lecithin  0.2%  0.2%Delivery System 5 2.94% — Delivery System 6 1.26% — Delivery System 4 —1.63% Delivery System 7 —  0.7%

The above test sample chewing gums were each prepared in the followingmanner. The gum base was melted in a mixer. The remaining ingredientswere added to the melted gum base. The melted gum base was mixed tocompletely disperse the ingredients. The resulting chewing gum wasallowed to cool. The cooled chewing gum was sized and conditioned forabout a week.

It will be understood that each of the chewing gum compositions preparedin accordance with Example 2 could readily be modified to include one ormore additional delivery systems each containing a different activecomponent.

Descriptive Panel Evaluation

Sweetness and Bitterness Intensity Analysis

A pool of human subjects was assembled to taste and rate the sweetnessintensity of the chewing gum test samples over time. Each of the humansubjects were asked to sample by chewing the test sample gums 4 and 5over a 30 minute period. At each 5-minute interval, the human subjectswere asked to rate the perceived sweetness intensity of the chewing gumsampled on a scale of 1 to 10. The results are shown in FIG. 2.

Further to measuring sweetness intensity as perceived by the humanssubjects during the chewing, the human subjects were also asked to ratethe perceived bitterness intensity of the chewing on a similar scale of1 to 10. The results are shown in FIG. 4.

Residual Sweetener Analysis

The chewing gums chewed by the human subjects were also subjected tochemical analysis at 5-minute intervals to measure the amount of theresidual sweetener remaining in the gum bolus. Every 5 minutes over the30-minute period, the bolus of the chewing gum was retrieved from eachof the human subjects and tested by high-performance liquidchromatography (HPLC). The results are shown in FIG. 3.

Results

Descriptive Panel Results:

As shown in FIG. 2, the perceived sweetness intensity of Gum 4 havingthe lower tensile strength delivery system decreased significantly morerapidly than Gum 5 having the higher tensile strength delivery systemover the 30 minute period. From the data presented in FIG. 2, hightensile strength delivery systems tends to extend the duration ofsweetener release from the chewing gum.

As shown in FIG. 4, the results indicate that Gum 5 possessing thehigher tensile strength delivery system exhibited an initial perceivedbitterness intensity that was relatively higher than Gum 4 (i.e., lowertensile strength delivery system). However, over the course of the next20 minutes, the perceived bitterness in Gum 5 (higher tensile strength)decreased over time, while the perceived bitterness (lower tensilestrength) increased over time and remained above the bitter intensity ofGum 5. The results show that the release rate of the sweetener affectsthe perception of the inherent bitter flavor that may be normallypresent in chewing gum compositions. The slower release rate of thesweetener in Gum 5 (higher tensile strength) extended the duration ofthe taste masking over the course of the 25 minutes, thus reducing theperception of bitter taste as compared to Gum 4 (lower tensilestrength).

Human Chew-Out/Residual Aspartame

As shown in FIG. 3, Gum 4 having a delivery system with a relativelylower tensile strength exhibited a higher rate of sweetener release thanGum 5 having a delivery system with a relatively higher tensile strengthover the 30 minute period. Accordingly, by increasing the tensilestrength of the delivery system, a lower rate of release of thesweetener can thereby be achieved. Conversely, reducing the tensilestrength of the delivery system increases the rate of release of thesweetener. Chewing Gum 4 with the relatively lower tensile strengthdelivery system further showed a lower residual amount aspartame in thechewed cuds as compared to Gum 5 with the relatively higher tensilestrength delivery system. Thus, the data shows that higher tensilestrength delivery systems generally provide a slower rate of release ofthe sweeteners. The results shown in FIG. 3 are consistent with theresults shown in FIG. 2 in that faster release of the sweetener resultsin less sweetener retained in the gum overtime.

1. A delivery system comprising at least one active componentencapsulated within an encapsulating material, the delivery systemhaving a tensile strength of at least 6,500 psi.
 2. The delivery systemof claim 1 wherein the tensile strength of the delivery system is fromabout 6,500 psi to 200,000 psi.
 3. The delivery system of claim 1wherein the edible composition is selected from the group consisting ofa food product, a pharmaceutical composition, a foodstuff, anutrient-containing composition, a vitamin, a neutraceuticals, andcombinations thereof.
 4. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein theedible composition is selected from a food product, a pharmaceuticalcomposition, a foodstuff, a nutrient-containing composition, a vitamin,a neutraceutical, and combinations thereof.
 5. The delivery system ofclaim 1 wherein the encapsulating material is selected from the groupconsisting of polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, polymethylmethacrylate, polylactidacid,polyhydroxyalkanoates, ethylcellulose, polyvinyl acetatephthalate,polyethylene glycol esters, methacrylicacid-co-methylmethacrylate andcombinations thereof.
 6. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein theencapsulating material is present in an amount of from about 30% to 99%by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system.
 7. Thedelivery system of claim 1 wherein the encapsulating material is presentin an amount of from about 60% to 90% by weight based on the totalweight of the delivery system.
 8. The delivery system of claim 1 whereinthe active component is selected from the group consisting of asweetener, an acid, a flavorant, a pharmaceutical, a therapeutic agent,a vitamin, a breath freshener, a cooling agent and combinations thereof.9. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein the active component is a highintensity sweetener.
 10. The delivery system of claim 8 wherein theactive component is a sweetener and is selected from the groupconsisting of an amino acid based sweetener, a dipeptide sweetener,glycyrrhizin, saccharin, a saccharin salt, an acesulfame salt, acyclamate, a stevioside, talin, a dihydrochalone compound, a chlorinatedsucrose polymer, and combinations thereof.
 11. The delivery system ofclaim 9 wherein the high intensity sweetener is selected from the groupconsisting of neotane, aspartame, sucralose and a mixture thereof. 12.The delivery system of claim 8 wherein the active component is presentin an amount of from about 1% to 70% by weight based on the total weightof the delivery system.
 13. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein theactive component is present in an amount of from about 10% to 40% byweight based on the total weight of the delivery system.
 14. Thedelivery system of claim 1 further comprising a tensile strengthmodifying agent.
 15. The delivery system of claim 14 wherein the tensilestrength modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of a fat,an emulsifier, a plasticizer, a softener, a low molecular weightpolymer, a high molecular weight polymer, a wax, and combinationsthereof.
 16. The delivery system of claim 14 wherein the tensilestrength modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of ahydrogenated oil, a glycerol monostearate, a wax, a low molecular weightpolymer, triacetin, glycerin, a rosin ester, and combinations thereof.17. The delivery system of claim 14 wherein the tensile strengthmodifying agent is present in an amount of up to 40% by weight based onthe total weight of the delivery system.
 18. The delivery system ofclaim 1 in the form of particles or granules.
 19. The delivery system ofclaim 18 wherein the particles or granules have a particle size of up to600 microns.
 20. The delivery system of claim 19 wherein the particlesor granules have a particle size of 75 to 600 microns.
 21. An ediblecomposition comprising at least one edible composition forming componentand the delivery system of claim
 1. 22. The edible composition of claim21 selected from the group consisting of a chewing gum composition, afood product, a confectionery composition, a pharmaceutical composition,a beverage, a foodstuff, a nutrient-containing composition, a vitamin, aneutraceutical, and a combination thereof.
 23. The edible composition ofclaim 21 wherein the encapsulating material is present in an amount offrom about 0.2% to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the ediblecomposition.
 24. The edible composition of claim 22, which is a chewinggum composition and wherein the at least one edible forming componentcomprises a gum base.
 25. The edible composition of claim 24 wherein thetensile strength of the delivery system is from about 6,500 psi to200,000 psi.
 26. The edible composition of claim 24 wherein theencapsulating material is present in an amount of from about 30% to 99%by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system.
 27. Theedible composition of claim 24 wherein the active component is selectedfrom the group consisting of a sweetener, an acid, a flavorant, apharmaceutical, a therapeutic agent, a vitamin, a breath freshener, acooling agent and combinations thereof.
 28. The edible composition ofclaim 24 wherein the active component is present in an amount of fromabout 1% to 70% by weight based on the total weight of the deliverysystem.
 29. The edible composition of claim 24 wherein the encapsulatingmaterial further comprises a tensile strength modifying agent.
 30. Theedible composition of claim 29 wherein the tensile strength modifyingagent is selected from the group consisting of a fat, an emulsifier, aplasticizer, a softener, a low molecular weight polymer, a highmolecular weight polymer, a wax, and combinations thereof.
 31. Theedible composition of claim 22, which is a confectionary and whichcomprises a confectionery carrier.
 32. The edible composition of claim31 wherein the tensile strength of the delivery system is from about6,500 to 200,000 psi.
 33. The edible composition of claim 31 wherein theencapsulating material is present in an amount of from about 30% to 99%by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system.
 34. Theedible composition of claim 31 wherein the active component is selectedfrom the group consisting of a sweetener, an acid, a flavorant, apharmaceutical, a therapeutic agent, a vitamin, a breath freshener, acooling agent, and combinations thereof.
 35. The edible composition ofclaim 31 wherein the active component is present in an amount of fromabout 1% to 70% by weight based on the total weight of the deliverysystem.
 36. The edible composition of claim 31 wherein the deliverysystem further comprises a tensile strength modifying agent.
 37. Theedible composition of claim 36 wherein the tensile strength modifyingagent is selected from the group consisting of a fat, an emulsifier, aplasticizer, a softener, a low molecular weight polymer, a highmolecular weight polymer, a wax, and combinations thereof.
 38. A methodof preparing a target delivery system for an edible compositioncomprising combining at least one active component and at least oneencapsulating material, until a preselected tensile strength of thetarget delivery system is obtained based on comparison with the tensilestrength of at least one sample delivery system having the same orsimilar active component and a known release rate of the activecomponent.
 39. The method of claim 38 further comprising obtaining apreselected tensile strength based on a comparison with a plurality ofsample delivery systems.
 40. The method of claim 38 further comprising:(a) obtaining a plurality of sample delivery systems comprising the atleast one active component and the at least one encapsulating materialwherein each of said sample delivery systems has a different tensilestrength; (b) testing the sample delivery systems to determine therespective release rates of the active component; and (c) formulatingthe target delivery system containing the same or similar activecomponent with a tensile strength corresponding to a desired releaserate of the active component based on the sample delivery systems. 41.The method of claim 38 wherein the additive is a tensile strengthmodifying agent.
 42. The method of claim 38 wherein the tensile strengthof each sample delivery system is at least 6,500 psi.
 43. The method ofclaim 38 further comprising: determining a desired release rate for theat least one active component in the edible composition; determining atensile strength associated with the desired release rate; andformulating the target delivery system for the at least one activecomponent based, at least in part, on the tensile strength.
 44. Themethod of claim 43, wherein the tensile strength is at least 6,500 psi.45. The method of claim 43, wherein the target delivery system includesat least one additive.
 46. The method of claim 43, further comprising:associating a different tensile strength for each of a plurality ofrelease rates for each of a plurality of different active components.47. A method of preparing a the delivery system of claim 1, comprisingencapsulating the at least one active component in the encapsulatingmaterial.
 48. A method of preparing an edible composition having atleast one active component which releases the at least one activecomponent at a desired release rate, said method comprising:encapsulating the at least one active component in at least oneencapsulating material to form a target delivery system having a tensilestrength of at least 6,500 psi; and adding the target delivery system tothe edible composition.
 49. A method of selecting at least one deliverysystem suitable for incorporation into an edible composition, each ofsaid delivery systems comprising an active component encapsulated withinan encapsulation material, said method comprising: determining a desiredrelease rate for a first active component in the edible composition;determining a first desired tensile strength for a first delivery systemassociated with said desired release rate; and selecting a firstdelivery system for first said active component based, at least in part,on said first tensile strength.
 50. The method of claim 49 furthercomprising: determining a second desired release rate for a secondactive component in the edible composition; determining a second desiredtensile strength for a second delivery system associated with saidsecond desired release rate; and selecting a second delivery system forsaid second active component based, at least in part, on said secondtensile strength.
 51. The method of claim 50 further comprisingrepeating the steps of determining a desired release rate, determining adesired tensile strength and selecting a delivery system for at leastone additional active component of the edible composition.
 52. Themethod of claim 51, wherein the tensile strength is at least 6,500 psi.53. The method of claim 51, wherein the delivery system furthercomprises at least one additive.
 54. The method of claim 53, wherein theadditive is a tensile strength modifying agent.
 55. The method of claim51, wherein determining the desired tensile strength comprises:associating a different tensile strength for each of a plurality ofrelease rates of said at least one active component.
 56. The method ofclaim 55, wherein the step of determining the desired tensile strengthcomprises: associating a different tensile strength for each of aplurality of release rates for each of the plurality of activecomponents.
 57. The method of claim 55, further comprising: determininga desired tensile strength for each of a plurality of delivery systems.58. A method of preparing a target delivery system for an ediblecomposition useful for delivering at least one active component at adesired release rate, said method comprising encapsulating the at leastone active component in an encapsulating material in a manner thatprovides the target delivery system with a target tensile strengthassociated with the desired release rate, enabling the delivery systemto release the at least one active component from the edible compositionat the desired release rate.
 59. The method of 58 wherein the targettensile strength is at least 6,500 psi.
 60. The method of claim 59comprising: a) determining the desired release rate of the activecomponent; b) determining the target tensile strength of the deliverysystem capable of delivering the at least one active component at thedesired release rate; and c) formulating the target delivery systemcontaining the at least one active component having the target tensilestrength.
 61. A method of preparing an edible composition containing atarget delivery system useful for delivering at least one activecomponent at a desired release rate, said method comprisingencapsulating the at least one active component in an encapsulatingmaterial in a manner that provides the target delivery system with atarget tensile strength associated with the desired release rateenabling the delivery system to release the at least one activecomponent from the edible composition at desired release rate, andadding the target delivery system to the edible composition.
 62. Themethod of claim 38, which further comprises combining at least oneadditive with the at least one active component and at least oneencapsulating material.
 63. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein thetensile strength of the delivery system is at least about 10,000 psi.64. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein the tensile strength of thedelivery system is at least about 22,000 psi.
 65. The delivery system ofclaim 1 wherein the tensile strength of the delivery system is at leastabout 24,000 psi.
 66. The delivery system of claim 1 wherein the tensilestrength of the delivery system is at least about 42,000 psi.
 67. Theedible composition of claim 21, which comprises at least two deliverysystems.
 68. The edible composition of claim 67, wherein each of the atleast two delivery systems comprise at least two different activecomponent.
 69. The edible composition of claim 67, wherein at least oneactive agent is a sweetener and a second active agent is a flavorant.70. The edible composition of claim 66 wherein each of the at least twodelivery systems has a different tensile strength.
 71. A chewing gumcomposition, comprising a gum base and at least one active componentencapsulated within a polymer encapsulating material, wherein the activecomponent is released for at least 15 minutes following the start ofchewing the composition.
 72. The chewing gum composition of claim 71,wherein the active component is released for at least 20 minutesfollowing the start of chewing the composition.
 73. The chewing gumcomposition of claim 71, wherein the active component is released for atleast 30 minutes following the start of chewing the composition.
 74. Thechewing gum composition of claim 71, wherein the release of the activecomponent varies during the at least 15 minutes.
 75. The chewing gumcomposition of claim 71, wherein the at least one active componentencapsulated within a polymer encapsulating material has a tensilestrength of above 6,500 psi.
 76. The chewing gum composition of claim71, wherein the at least one active component encapsulated within apolymer encapsulating material has a tensile strength of above 10,000psi.
 77. The delivery system of claim 16, wherein the tensile strengthmodifying agent is a fat.
 78. The delivery system of claim 77, whereinthe fat is present in an amount up to 5% by weight of the deliverysystem.
 79. The delivery system of claim 14, wherein the tensilestrength modifying agent is an oil.
 80. The delivery system of claim 79,wherein the oil is present in an amount up to 5% by weight of thedelivery system.
 81. The delivery system of claim 14, which comprisestwo tensile strength modifying agents and the tensile strength modifyingagents are a fat and an oil.
 82. The delivery system of claim 80,wherein the combination of fat and oil is present in an amount up to 5%by weight of the delivery system.
 83. A chewing gum composition,comprising a gum base and at least one sweetener encapsulated within apolymer encapsulating material, wherein the sweetener is perceived by aconsumer for at least 15 minutes following the start of chewing thecomposition.
 84. The chewing gum composition of claim 83, wherein thesweetener is perceived by the consumer for at least 20 minutes followingthe start of chewing the composition.
 85. The chewing gum composition ofclaim 83, wherein the sweetener is perceived by the consumer for atleast 30 minutes following the start of chewing the composition
 86. Thechewing gum composition of claim 83, wherein the at least one activecomponent encapsulated within a polymer encapsulating material has atensile strength of above 6,500 psi.
 87. The chewing gum composition ofclaim 83, wherein the at least one active component encapsulated withina polymer encapsulating material has a tensile strength of above 10,000psi.
 88. The edible composition of claim 33, wherein the encapsulatingmaterial is present in an amount of from about 60% to 90% by weightbased on the total weight of the delivery system.
 89. The ediblecomposition of claim 35, wherein the active component is present in anamount of from about 10 to 40% by weight based on the total weight ofthe delivery system.
 90. The edible composition of claim 89, wherein theactive component is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to 6% byweight based on the total weight of the delivery system.
 91. The ediblecomposition of claim 89, wherein the active component is present in anamount of from about 0.5 to 3% by weight based on the total weight ofthe delivery system.